After witnessing a brutal, gang-related murder by gangster Eddie Kim (Byron Lawson), Sean Jones (Nathan Phillips) is escorted by FBI agent Neville Flynn (Samuel Jackson) from Honolulu to Los Angeles, where he is to stand as a witness. But Kim has arranged for a crateful of poisonous snakes to be placed on board, which will be opened by a timelock mechanism while the plane is in mid flight. To make matters worse the leis, which are traditionally given to passengers on their departure from Hawaii, are sprayed with pheromones, which drive the snakes into an aggressive frenzy. The terrified passengers must fight for survival, and agent Flynn must protect his charge at all costs.

Review:

Snakes on a Plane (or SoaP, as it’s affectionately known), isn’t the first movie that was elevated to cult status on the internet before even being released. That honour goes to The Blair Witch Project, a film so dull and poorly shot that if it really was the student project it pretended to be, it would have failed.

After that cinematic debacle, you’d be forgiven if you never trusted the internet ever again. You might have already decided that if all those geeks on the internet think SoaP so great, it must be utterly horrible. But you’d be wrong.

Make no mistake: SoaP is a high concept, high budget no-brainer of a movie. The plot is almost non-existent, and the little that’s there is so ridiculous it’s impossible to imagine the screenwriter pitching it to studio executives with a straight face. Snakes? On a plane? Why? Couldn’t he just shoot the guy? And if the gangster was really able to get a crate-load of snakes past all that extra security, wouldn’t it have been easier, cheaper and far more reliable to just use poisonous gas instead?

Well, yes, but watching people slowly choke to death isn’t nearly as exciting as watching terrified, screaming people being bitten on their most delicate areas by enraged poisonous reptiles. There’s no sense in letting the plot get in the way of a good story.

Similarly, the characterisation is so unapologetically one-dimensional that at times the passengers seem to be no deeper than the snakes themselves. Stereotypes abound: there’s the mincing male flight attendant; the slutty female flight attendant; the snobby Briton; the hip hop trio and, of course, Samuel Jackson as himself – and that’s about as developed as they get.

But you’re not here to see Jackson’s character facing his weaknesses and overcoming emotional obstacles to find his redemption in the eyes of his one true love. Oh no, you’re here to see snakes killing lots of people in the most horrific ways imaginable – and that’s exactly what you get.

The set-up is mercifully short, and once the plane is in the air and the snakes are released, the pace is relentless. It’s suspenseful, graphically violent and sometimes quite tasteless, but it’s all done in good, campy fun, so it’s impossible to take it too seriously. With a title like that, how could anyone?

SoaP is a success because it delivers exactly what it promises– nothing more and nothing less, It’s airheaded, yes, but it’s unpretentious entertainment all the way, best enjoyed with a crowd of friends after a few drinks.

Go. You’ll love it.

- Chris McEvoyA container load of snakes high on pheromones are unleashed on a plane in mid flight. Passengers are killed off horribly while Samuel Jackson tries to save everyone while swearing a lot.

Let's brainstorm a sequel
"Snakes in their Brains" in which smaller snakes attempt to get into the cavernous craniums of Americans through their ears, noses and eyes.
Ducks in a Spaceship: in which there are ducks in a space ship.

0Snakes on a Planecm2006-09-13 03:11 PM

sequels
goats on a boat, pigs on a rig, frogs on a log, ducks on a truck.....

0Snakes on a Planej2006-09-13 11:18 PM

Very Bad
Are you crazy? This has to be the WORST movie I have seen in my life. I can't believe a script like this is actually made into a movie. I walked out halfway through. Don't waste your money.

0Snakes on a Planeme2006-09-19 05:46 PM

Very good
I watched the movie and it was fantastic, I really enjoyed it.

0Snakes on a PlaneMASHUDU2006-09-29 10:41 AM

NICE MOVIE
IT WAS VERY INTERESTING MOVIE I THINK YOU SHOULD SHOW US ANOTHER ONE VERY INTERESTING.

0Snakes on a PlaneLINDIWE2006-10-02 10:39 AM

very good
Actually it's a very interesting movie and don't mind watching the movie again.

0Snakes on a PlaneLana2006-10-04 11:58 AM

very good
This is a great movie and to actaully see the snakes going for the people I though that they are coming for me too. I really enjoyed it and cant wait to see it again. Great job..........................

0Snakes on a Planenomandla2006-10-04 04:01 PM

very nice movie but i think the underground scene was not prpperly done and the setting was not clea
not vwery nice acting and the movie was mainly focused on two people which i thunk was a down fall of the movie

0Snakes on a PlaneCraig2006-10-09 08:06 PM

Terrible
I have yet to watch a movie as bad as that, it is a childish movie about worst case scenario after worst case scenario and bad acting.

0Snakes on a Planetahla2006-10-13 01:10 PM

OK
Very scary, but I'll never watch it again.

0Snakes on a PlaneZak2006-10-13 05:28 PM

Best b-grader of the year
It' s a totally over the top must see load of bollocks!
I implore the cinema noveau set to see it.

0Snakes on a PlaneIsaac2006-10-16 03:43 PM

Great Movie
It's a type of a movie that always keep you tight on your sit.

0Snakes on a PlaneSieSmaN2006-10-16 08:09 PM

snakes on a plane
This is a good movie however it has no point the story line is not even worth trying to understand mabey its just me but so many many deadly snakes and not one major snake fight::: shoot out a window as a way to get ride of them brother please!!!! this is one of those they still make mistakes type movie but hey we love them still but you need to understand that annaconda killed the snake theme (crushed it) try